Salem, Mass. -- Daniel Wohl (La Canada, CA) netted 26 points as the Ephs of Williams College defeated the Vikings of Salem State University 84-77 on day two of the 2014 Salem State Holiday Classic. The win over Salem State allowed Williams to split the Holiday Classic and head home with a 1-1 record, improving to 8-3 on the season. This loss gives the Vikings their fifth loss of the year putting them at 6-5 on the season. Wohl and Bryan Ortiz (Salem, MA) were both selected Team MVP along with Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham's, Donte Ali (Willingboro, NJ) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Zach Karalis (North Andover, MA). The first game between Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham went to WPI who defeated the Devils 76-39.
 
Wohl showed his scoring ability early as he got off to a fast start, knocking down a deep three-pointer for the game's first basket in the Ephs opening possession. Salem State took their only lead of the half at the 16:25 mark when Drew Healy (Lowell, MA) finished a layup at the rim to give the Vikings a slight 6-5 advantage. Wohl gave Salem State defenders a hard time with his scoring capability inside and outside, including another three ball that put the Ephs atop 13-7 with just over 14 minutes remaining. Salem State's sharp shooters Ortiz and Nicholas Grassa (Lynn, MA) knocked down back-to-back three's to cut the deficit to 22-19, the closest they would come  to Williams in the half. The Ephs shooters came prepared as well as Hayden Rooke-Ley (Eugene, OR), who made a trey ball towards the end of the first half , gave Williams a 13-point lead, their largest of the night. However, an athletic tip in by Tariq Tate (Walpole, MA), and made free throws from Anthony Hodges (Worcester, MA) allowed the Vikings' to cut the Ephs lead to just seven before the end of the half as Williams entered the break with a 45-38 advantage. 
 
Despite a slow start in the first half, Grassa got off to a quick start in the second as he knocked down two three-pointers in the opening minutes of the half to bring his team to within four. Rooke-Ley impacted the Ephs offense heavily as he finished with 16 points including a great hustle play midway through the half, chasing down his own rebound after a missed jumper, then finished a two point play at the free throw line after being fouled on the put back. Rooke-Ley went 9-10 at the free throw line throughout the contest. Ryan Kilcullen (Hingham, MA) played a dominant role in the Ephs victory as he grabbed seven rebounds and tallied 13 points while he too went 9-10 from the free throw line. With just under eight minutes left in the game, Hamed Akanni (Fitchburg, MA) sank a 15-footer that brought the Vikings within six, the closest margin they would see for the rest of the game. Salem State did test the Ephs at the end of the game, making two three-pointers in desperate times, but ran out of clock as Williams went on to win 84-77. 
 
The Vikings' take the court again in the new year as they face-off against the Hawks of Becker College on January 3rd at 3:00 p.m. at home. Williams resumes their season on January 3rd when they travel to Endicott College to take on the Gulls at 3:00 p.m.